Environmental Data Analysis BC ENV 3017

Atmospheric Transport

sources/sinks

chemistry

transport

global heat balance requires transport of latent and sensible heat towards the poles

heat capacity differences between adjacent land and water masses causes differential heating -> local differences in pressure -> winds
topography - valley and mountains
inversions can trap pollutants

priming the (global heat) pump - differential heating and transport
generating wind - Flow along isobaric surfaces driven by regional differences in heating (fig).
the consequence of flow on a rotating planet is the Coriolis effect. This apparent displacement from the expected path of transport varies with latitude (fig). The combination of the flow down pressure gradients and the Coriolis effect produces the large scale wind (and ocean current) patterns observed on the planet (fig). Flow resulting from the balance between pressure gradient and Coriolis effect is known as geostrophic flow
The dominant large scale winds are predictable as a function of latitude and altitude and form distinct climatic regions on the globe (fig).
The characteristic weather patterns that form in response to both high presssure and low pressure systems are a consequence of these forces (fig; fig).
On regional scales the specific location of the jet stream or steering winds can have a great impact on weather patterns and flow fields (fig). In eastern North America, the jet stream varies in location (fig).
Land - sea breezes are important winds in coastal regions (fig).
The topography of coastal regions can modify local winds (fig; fig). This is evident in the Hudson Valley (fig).
The mixing height is an important determinant of atmospheric pollutant concentrations. Effects such as temperature inversions can limit dispersiondramatically (fig).

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